Andrew's freshman year was pretty good and he learned a lot about himself. He learned how to manage all the schoolwork he was assigned from all the teachers and he learned that high school is much harder than middle school. He learned that you must have a way to cope with all the stress from school and manage your time evenly. He also learned that some people cannot tell him part from his twin brother, which is really annoying! Andrew made new friends at John Carroll and is getting used to a new life at the school. He understands now that he has to do volunteer hours so he can graduate so he should probably do those soon. He knows that there are a lot more tests in high school so you always have to be prepared for them, which means more study time. With all of this work, Andrew feels that John Carroll is preparing him for college and for the future.
Andrew had a lot of fun during his freshman year and he has got to know a wide variety of people. He had some good moments but other times he had some bad moments, too. He has learned a lot from all the classes he took his freshman year and he has been taught very well by his teachers. He understands that you should always keep up with all your work and if you get behind, it will be extremely difficult to keep up with all the work. Andrew likes most of his classes for different reasons and he likes what he learns in those classes. He thought his freshman year would be tough going in, but he now knows that it was not as bad as he thought and was actually fun. He hopes that his sophomore year will be even better. Overall, Andrew really enjoyed his year and he is now looking forward to the summer.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Weekly 9 - Final Draft
Charlemagne was a very important figure during the Middle Ages and did a lot to influence the culture of this time period. He was the first leader of the Carolingian dynasty and he was considered one of the best leaders of Europe by many historians. He conquered land for his Frankish Empire and expanded his rule in Europe so everyone could be included during his reign. His accomplishments helped Europe for the better and got Europe off to a good start so they could prosper later during the peak of the Middle Ages. If it was not for Charlemagne Europe would never have achieved its goals it set out for when the Middle Ages began. Charlemagne was so important for the history of Europe for all of his impressive accomplishments and he gave way to a long period of cultural change, most of which was positive. Charlemagne established a strong foundation for Europe to build off of and his achievements put Europe in a good position to prosper, including being the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
One important thing that Charlemagne did to help Europe as a whole was he expanded his empire and even helped the spread and increase of Christianity in his empire. “When he died in 814, Charlemagne’s empire encompassed much of Western Europe, and he had also ensured the survival of Christianity in the West” (History.com, 2011). Charlemagne changed the culture of Europe for the better by conquering more countries so Europe could function as a whole. He understood that Europe would be more prosperous in the long run if they could work together and this was a new change for Europe that set them off in the right direction. He had the right intent to help Europe in the long term and his the way he formed his empire would be good for Europe. He also influenced the rise of Christianity in his empire and he wanted it to help Europe and change them for the better. He wanted Christianity to be a religion that could prosper in Europe and he established the religion early so it could become an important religion in the years to come.
Another event during Charlemagne’s life that helps people understand how he was important to the Middle Ages was his coronation by Pope Leo III. “In 800, Pope Leo III (750-816) crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans (History.com, 2011). This was a major event that would affect the Middle Ages in the future and it changed Europe forever. This event marked the start of a new empire called the Holy Roman Empire and it would bring a lot of change to Europe, especially the culture. New emperors would lead and architecture changed during this time, so overall life changed drastically. Charlemagne was the first holy roman emperor and he did his best to put Europe in a good position to do great things and serve as an example for future emperors to follow. Change would be imminent for Europe as a whole as the whole empire would see complete change that was intended to help Europe.
The main proof that people understand that Charlemagne was crucial to the culture of the Middle Ages was that he tried to revive culture during his time. “He and his government patronized a variety of activities that together produced a cultural renovatio (Latin: “renewal” or “restoration”), later called the Carolingian Renaissance” (Biography.com, 2011). This was a very important cultural revival that Charlemagne implemented and many changes came along with it. This movement helped the people of the empire become more literate and the main goal was to better educate the people. It also helped the people better understand the Christian faith so they could deepen their faith and it also taught people of religious power what their responsibilities were in the Church. Carolingian architecture became heavily influenced in society with many famous churches serving as the main examples of the architecture. This was a very big cultural revolution that would affect the culture during the Middle Ages and was another important accomplishment of Charlemagne that Europe could build off of.
It is easy to see how Charlemagne’s famous accomplishments played a huge role in the development of the Middle Ages. His main role was to prepare Europe and make positive changes to Europe so they could prosper in the future. He was one of the main leaders who changed the culture of Europe through the Carolingian Renaissance and it is important to understand his accomplishments because they changed Europe forever. He definitely had the right intentions for Europe and he wanted to see Europe flourish through his major changes. He served as an example of a great emperor during his time and he laid the groundwork for Europe so they could be prosperous. Charlemagne made great strides as a major leader and he was up to the task of being the first holy roman emperor. The culture of the Middle Ages was influenced by Charlemagne and that is why it is important to understand his life.
Bibliography
BBC, Initials. (2011). Charlemagne (c. 747 - c. 814). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/charlemagne.shtml
Charlemagne. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne.
Charlemagne. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 09:07, May 3 2011 from http://www.biography.com/articles/Charlemagne-37817
Holy Roman Empire. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/holy-roman-empire.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Weekly 9- Rough Draft
Charlemagne was a very important figure during the Middle Ages and did a lot to influence the culture of this time period. He was the first leader of the Carolingian dynasty and he was considered one of the best leaders of Europe by many historians. He conquered land for his Frankish Empire and expanded his rule in Europe so everyone could be included during his reign. His accomplishments helped Europe for the better and got Europe off to a good start so they could prosper later during the peak of the Middle Ages. If it was not for Charlemagne Europe would never have achieved its goals it set out for when the Middle Ages began. Charlemagne was so important for the history of Europe for all of his impressive accomplishments and he gave way to a long period of cultural change, most of which was positive. Charlemagne established a strong foundation for Europe to build off of and his achievements put Europe in a good position to prosper, including being the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne did not play a role in the development of the Middle Ages and his achievements were virtually worthless by not helping Europe at all.
One important thing that Charlemagne did to help Europe as a whole was he expanded his empire and even helped the spread and increase of Christianity in his empire. “When he died in 814, Charlemagne’s empire encompassed much of Western Europe, and he had also ensured the survival of Christianity in the West” (History.com, 2011). Charlemagne changed the culture of Europe for the better by conquering more countries so Europe could function as a whole. He understood that Europe would be more prosperous in the long run if they could work together and this was a new change for Europe that set them off in the right direction. He had the right intent to help Europe in the long term and his the way he formed his empire would be good for Europe. He also influenced the rise of Christianity in his empire and he wanted it to help Europe and change them for the better. He wanted Christianity to be a religion that could prosper in Europe and he established the religion early so it could become an important religion in the years to come.
Another event during Charlemagne’s life that helps people understand how he was important to the Middle Ages was his coronation by Pope Leo III. “In 800, Pope Leo III (750-816) crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans (History.com, 2011). This was a major event that would affect the Middle Ages in the future and it changed Europe forever. This event marked the start of a new empire called the Holy Roman Empire and it would bring a lot of change to Europe, especially the culture. New emperors would lead and architecture changed during this time, so overall life changed drastically. Charlemagne was the first holy roman emperor and he did his best to put Europe in a good position to do great things and serve as an example for future emperors to follow. Change would be imminent for Europe as a whole as the whole empire would see complete change that was intended to help Europe.
The main proof that people understand that Charlemagne was crucial to the culture of the Middle Ages was that he tried to revive culture during his time. “He and his government patronized a variety of activities that together produced a cultural renovatio (Latin: “renewal” or “restoration”), later called the Carolingian Renaissance” (Biography.com, 2011). This was a very important cultural revival that Charlemagne implemented and many changes came along with it. This movement helped the people of the empire become more literate and the main goal was to better educate the people. It also helped the people better understand the Christian faith so they could deepen their faith and it also taught people of religious power what their responsibilities were in the Church. Carolingian architecture became heavily influenced in society with many famous churches serving as the main examples of the architecture. This was a very big cultural revolution that would affect the culture during the Middle Ages and was another important accomplishment of Charlemagne that Europe could build off of.
It is easy to see how Charlemagne’s famous accomplishments played a huge role in the development of the Middle Ages. His main role was to prepare Europe and make positive changes to Europe so they could prosper in the future. He was one of the main leaders who changed the culture of Europe through the Carolingian Renaissance and it is important to understand his accomplishments because they changed Europe forever. He definitely had the right intentions for Europe and he wanted to see Europe flourish through his major changes. He served as an example of a great emperor during his time and he laid the groundwork for Europe so they could be prosperous. Charlemagne made great strides as a major leader and he was up to the task of being the first holy roman emperor. The culture of the Middle Ages was influenced by Charlemagne and that is why it is important to understand his life.
Bibliography
BBC, Initials. (2011). Charlemagne (c. 747 - c. 814). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/charlemagne.shtml
Charlemagne. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne.
Charlemagne. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 09:07, May 3 2011 from http://www.biography.com/articles/Charlemagne-37817
Holy Roman Empire. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 8:59, May 3, 2011, from http://www.history.com/topics/holy-roman-empire.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Weekly 8- Final Draft
During the fall of the Roman Empire, Rome was in complete despair and they were constantly being attacked by outside enemies. Rome needed some way to protect its city from invaders and this is when Romanesque cathedrals were built. The Romanesque period lasted from about the ninth century until about the eleventh century when cathedrals were built for protection. Then, when invaders settled down in their own areas, the Gothic period of Rome flourished with its cathedrals. This period immediately followed the Romanesque period from about the twelfth century until about the fourteenth century. Both types of architecture were very popular in Rome for their different characteristics, but the important thing is that their theology was unique in their own ways. Gothic cathedrals and Romanesque cathedrals were very different in expressing their own theologies; Romanesque cathedrals were built for protection while Gothic cathedrals were built to let the light in from God above and to express creativity.
One major difference of the Romanesque cathedrals and the Gothic cathedrals were the size of the windows (Figure 1 and Figure 2). It is obvious to see that The Romanesque cathedrals had very small windows that were not able to let that much light in. The Gothic cathedrals had very tall and elegant windows that could let so much light inside and they were decorative, unlike the windows on Romanesque cathedrals. The windows on the Romanesque cathedrals are very boring and simple, unlike the attractive and appealing windows on the Gothic cathedrals. The windows also expressed the cathedrals’ own unique theology, where Romanesque cathedrals did not want enemies to be able to see within, and Gothic cathedrals wanted to let God’s light in so everyone would be filled with God’s presence. It is easy to understand that the windows of both types of cathedrals were built to express their own theologies.
Another difference between Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals was the external appearances of both types of cathedrals. Romanesque cathedrals were very different compared to Gothic cathedrals in the way they looked from the outside (Figure 3 and 4). Romanesque cathedrals were huge buildings and were much larger than the Gothic cathedrals in terms of their size. Romanesque cathedrals were also very plain and simple in their exterior design but Gothic cathedrals had a lot more appealing features and it is easy to tell that a lot more effort was put into the design of those cathedrals. Also, the Romanesque cathedrals had thick walls and since they were so big, they could withstand many attacks from foreign invaders because they were so stable. The characteristics of the Romanesque cathedrals are there mainly for strong protection from powerful attacks so people could go somewhere to be safe. Gothic cathedrals had features that could attract people to visit and for religious purposes by letting God’s light in.
One final difference between Romanesque cathedrals and Gothic cathedrals is the interior structure, which are different because it was designed for different reasons (Figure 5 and 6). Romanesque cathedrals were, like the exterior, very simple and fortification was a main priority for these cathedrals because the walls are extremely thick. Gothic cathedrals, on the other hand, did not have to be used for protection since outside attacks were not occurring anymore and they were free to show how creative they could be. Romanesque cathedrals were very dark inside and not much design can be found in them due to the theology of judgment day in these famous cathedrals. Gothic cathedrals can be seen with many aspects of Christianity, such as crosses and crucifixes, so religion was a top priority. They were also very bright due to the fact that the windows could let in much of God’s light and it felt like God was present in these cathedrals. If Romanesque cathedrals were used for protection very often, it is easy to understand how there was not much time to improve the interior design and art.
After looking at both Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals, there are many characteristics that can easily be spotted that make them different from each other. The situation of the outside invaders really affected how the two types of cathedrals would be built and what they would be used for. Romanesque cathedrals were built during the time of invaders from foreign countries so their theology was developed based on this situation- they needed protection for the people of Rome. Since attacks were not imminent during the time period after Romanesque cathedrals, new cathedrals could be built to express creative designs and for more religious beliefs since Christianity was on the rise. The theologies for both types of cathedrals were developed during their time period and the features of each give away their theologies, which were extremely different. Even though Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals were popular in their times, they differed greatly in their design and thus their theologies had to be unique to each one.
Appendix
Figure 1
Schoengrabern Church, facade, 10th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Schoengrabern1a.JPG, photograph taken in 2007.
Figure 2
Sainte Chapelle, interior, 13th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sainte_chapelle_-_Upper_level.jpg, photograph taken in 2005.
Figure 3
Tournai Cathedral, facade, 12th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tournai_JPG001.jpg, photograph taken in 2005.
Figure 4
Notre Dame de Paris, facade, 13th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:060806-France-Paris-Notre_Dame.jpg, photograph taken in 2006.
Figure 5
St. Michael's Church, interior, 10th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hildesheim-St_Michaels_Church.interior.01.JPG, photograph taken in 2005.
Figure 6
Bad Doberan, interior, 14th century, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bad_Doberan_M%C3%BCnster_(11)_2006-09-24.JPG, photograph taken in 2006.
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